Organic Agriculture and Local Food

Appropriate Technology: Energy

Green Building & Retrofitting

1.Whole Systems Approach to Ecological Design
Ecological Designs	Master Planning	Climate Change & Peak Oil

Whole Systems Approach to Ecological Design

Starting from the concept of “Building a Culture of Sustainability”, this section covers the “big picture”. As opposed to detailed design concepts, we look at some broad philosophies and principles of ecological design. This involves looking at the whole system within which we carry out a specific design.

International Futures Forum states that:

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“The scale of global interconnectivity and interdependence has resulted in a step change in the complexity, uncertainty and speed of change in today’s operating environment. Many of the concepts we used to rely on to make sense of our world no longer have traction. In many respects we are experiencing a ‘conceptual emergency’.

In response organisations, communities and governments are adopting familiar strategies: intensifying standard processes, strengthening the centre, sticking to core competencies, prioritising short-term results, promising only what can be delivered.”

IFF has developed a “World Model” in response, which looks at the linkages between key aspects of our world, within a whole system.

For example, if we were designing a water system with a whole systems approach, we would look at all the connections illustrated in the World Model Chart. The project is in the biosphere and is highly influenced by climate, trade is a likely customer, there is an interconnection with agriculture and a requirement for energy, and so on. The approach focuses on the key factors in the design and examines the global perspective as well as the relationship of the project to living systems (frequently called the Gaian system).

World model developed by International Futures Forum
Click on image to enlarge